Grant Guidelines

Overview

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s Arts Build Community initiative offers grants to Berkshire County organizations seeking to increase community engagement through the arts and creative process, especially among communities of color, youth, immigrants, and other historically marginalized groups who experience barriers to participation such cost, transportation, and disconnection from the arts. BTCF seeks to aid innovation among Berkshire County nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and community organizations that present significant arts and cultural programming as they deepen and expand existing programs and collaborate with other organizations to achieve this work.

Focus of This Opportunity

Invited organizations must have a history of resident engagement through the arts with a particular focus on residents who have been traditionally excluded (lower-income community members, communities of color, youth, and immigrants). Organizations must demonstrate innovative approaches/extensions to past resident engagement programs and offer active participatory programs. In addition, organizations must have the ability to embed the program within their long-term offerings.

This invitation-only opportunity is focused on projects that activate community members, artists, and leaders who engage lower-income community members, communities of color, youth, immigrants and other historically marginalized groups in the arts.

Desired Outcomes

BTCF expects that these projects will result in activated community members, artists, and leaders who engage lower-income community members, communities of color, youth, and immigrants in the arts. Successful programs and projects for community engagement will be incubated and tested, leading to positive results in the community, greater awareness of what works, and key lessons that can inform and be shared for additional program development.

Additional desired outcomes include:

  • More inclusive and innovative community arts strategies and programs that engage the community, especially diverse audience
  • New and enhanced collaborations among arts and cultural organizations, community groups and residents aspiring to greater participation in the arts
  • Increased capacity of organizations to design and implement these strategies and programs
  • Stronger community connections and trusting, reciprocal relationships among residents
  • Greater involvement in and contributions to arts and community-based organizations, especially among diverse residents

Eligibility

  1. The organization must be a Berkshire County arts or cultural organization. It must be based in and serve residents of Berkshire County. Fiscal sponsors may be located outside of the county.
  2. A history of resident engagement through the arts with a particular focus on residents who have been traditionally excluded from participation in the arts (lower-income community members, communities of color, youth, and immigrants).
  3. Have operated with active participatory arts and/or community engagement programming.
  4. The proposed programming should demonstrate innovative approaches/extensions to past resident engagement programs.
  5. Not include in its by-laws or practice discrimination against a person or group on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief.

Review Criteria

  • Extent to which the organization has a history of resident engagement through the arts with a particular focus on residents who have been traditionally excluded (lower-income community members, communities of color, youth, and immigrants).
  • Extent to which the organization has demonstrated innovative approaches/extensions to past resident engagement programs and offers active participatory programs.
  • Ability of the organization to embed the program within its long-term offerings

Awards

Grant awards will range up to $20,000 per project.

Deadline

Applications are due March 15 and are accepted by invitation only.

Timeline Considerations

  • BTCF staff anticipates responding within four weeks of application submission and disbursing funds within six weeks of submission.
  • The foundation expects projects to be reported on within one year of funding. Options will be provided for your final report (such as a verbal conversation or written narrative report).